


Cross it Off

by TheAxrat



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Asexual Character, Bisexual Character, Gen, LGBTQ Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 22:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19710985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAxrat/pseuds/TheAxrat
Summary: A story from the Collapse. With the world falling down around them, Yulia "Jules" Markova and her squad must find a way to survive without the protection of Rasputin or the Traveler. It's the end of society as they know it - maybe the end of everything.





	Cross it Off

It wanted her to see this. The end of everything. She was suffocating. Trapped beneath the encroaching shadows. It held her, forced her to watch as the world grew cold. When she opened her mouth to yell in defiance it took her voice. Her breath. She was certain this was it for her. For the world. The sky itself disappeared as shadows blocked it out and engulfed the lights on the cosmodrome walls. A chill swept over her. Seeped into her core and refused to let go.

A scream echoed in her mind. Not her own voice. A girl’s scream, crying for help. 

_Nikolina_. 

\-------------------------------

Their golden age was over. As part of the Cosmodrome’s present military force, Jules knew that better than most. Governments were falling to pieces. People were _dying_. Panic was widespread. Refugees gathered outside their gates. Everyone wanted off Earth - though she had seen the images of Mercury. She had heard about the loss of contact with the Jovian colonies, the disappearance of the Yang Liwei. Out there was no better than on the homeworld. 

Her parents had been on the Yang Liwei. They took her sister. Sweet little Nikolina, who had never wanted to leave Earth. She still remembered the terror in those green eyes, so much like her own, before they took her away for cryosleep. Something in the back of Jules’ mind told her she was still alive. Somewhere. Somehow. 

The screams still lingered in the back of her mind. Taunting her. Calling her. 

Wherever Nik was, she needed to help her. 

_First things first, Jules._

She perched herself on some forgotten crates, under a catwalk inside one of the hangars. A Phaeton-class fighter hung in disassembled pieces, scarred with recent wounds. The tool benches were orderly. Machinery cleaned and maintained. Even in disaster, this was a Russian military installation. There were standards to be kept. She knew no mechanics were scheduled to come through for another few hours, and the Warmind… she was fairly certain he had bigger things to worry about than a random hangar housing a single broken ship. 

She tugged her platinum hair free of its haphazard bun, letting it fall around her shoulders as she waited for her squad. It felt like forever, with the weight of the world on her shoulders, but it couldn’t have been more than a minute or two. 

Footsteps announced Veronika’s arrival before she ducked under the hangar’s looming roller door. Her blue eyes scanned Jules, looking for reassurance. Confidence. Jules had the latter in spades, usually, but right now she felt little more than exhausted. 

Veronika seemed to notice. When she spoke, there was concern behind her attempts at a calm exterior. “Yulya. How’re you holding up over there?” 

Few people used her real name outside of professional circumstances. Fewer used its diminutive. _Yulia_ was a name she didn’t particularly care for. _Jules_ was the nickname given to her by American relatives - much to her mother’s chagrin. Not that any of it mattered now. For all she knew? They were all dead or dying or soon to be. 

“Well as anyone else is,” She replied. “You?” 

Veronika stepped up beside the crates and leaned her hip against them to peer up at her. “I’m surviving, and that’s… about all I can say.” 

“As we all are,” Jules agreed. 

She heard the others drawing near before they reached the door - Kuzma’s low timbre was an easy giveaway, contrasted with Serik’s more neutral tone. Soon enough they both dipped under in turn and crossed the bay to join the two women. 

While Veronika greeted them, Jules took in her squad. All of them showed the wear of the last few days. Their uniforms were far from pristine. Serik’s medic patch was peeling off the fabric. Kuzma had a hole in his sleeve. Beyond the wear and tear on her uniform, Veronika’s medium blonde hair was barely kempt. They all had bigger things to worry about. 

Like, perhaps, the end of the world. 

Professionalism was cast aside - it was just them, after all. Once, when things had been good in the world, they attended barbeques at each other’s houses. There was no need for anyone to call her sergeant unless the higher ups were watching. They were her friends, first; her squad, second. 

“No one followed you?” She asked, nodding to the newest arrivals. 

“Not that we saw,” Kuzma confirmed. He towered over the group, a human tank with muscle built for function over aesthetic. If someone told her he pushed a car from the Cosmodrome to the nearest city? She would’ve asked if they were sure it wasn’t a truck. His wedding ring hung from the same chain that secured his dog tags. He was the oldest of the group but he didn’t have the heart for leadership - lacked the stomach for hard decisions. 

“We’re clear,” Serik confirmed, though he leaned back to peer at the gap in the door. He was a more average height, with a build that was neither too skinny nor particularly hulking. Decidedly average for a military man, with light brown hair and dark eyes that gave away his stress. “We would have heard the footsteps.” 

Veronika reached out to set her hand on Jules’s. A small comfort, considering. “What’s this about, then?” 

Jules took a breath and steeled herself. “You all know we’re on the checkpoint tonight.” 

They glanced among each other. Offered wary nods in affirmation. 

“Orders came down from up high. Anyone who tries getting in is to be shot on sight.” 

There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them as the gravity of that statement sank in. 

Serik ventured, “the people trying to get in are…” 

“Refugees,” Jules confirmed with a grim frown. “They want us to shoot refugees. _Civilian_ refugees.” 

Kuzma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Serik worked his jaw as he processed the reality of the situation. Veronika cursed and turned away. Jules reached out a hand to place on her shoulder and guided her back, close to her side. 

“Well,” Serik threw up his hands up. “We’ve all collectively lost our minds, I see.” 

“Then what do we do?” Veronika questioned. She looked between the rest of the group as though any of them had answers. “Kuzma, what if it was your family trying to get in?” 

“I know,” he muttered, opening his eyes to look down at her. “I don’t like it.” 

Serik gave a nod in agreement. “We can’t just… _do_ this. Orders or not. There has to be a line.” 

Kuzma offered a low hum. “At what cost?” 

Jules leaned back and planted her hands behind her to prop herself up. Her decision had already been made. These were her friends. Her confidants. She knew no matter what, they weren’t going to betray her trust. Not now. Not with everything falling to pieces around them. 

“You don’t need to follow me,” she interrupted. “But if they tell me to pull the trigger? I’m getting the hell out of here.” 

The silence that followed was almost deafening, though it only lasted a few brief moments. 

Veronika spoke first. “I’m coming with you.” 

Serik and Kuzma glanced to each other, considering. It was a lot to expect, that they would desert with her. It was as much a death sentence as anything else. The world itself seemed to be running out of time, though - did they want to spend their last days gunning down civilians, or doing what they felt was right? 

Kuzma looked to Jules. “You were on the wall this morning?” 

“Yeah, working on the guns. Why?” 

“Were there smaller vehicles lined up? Motorcycles, maybe?” 

She thought about it for a long moment. “...I think so, yeah. It was a pretty long line. Bound to be something. No Braytech hovercraft, but… something.” 

He gave a single, grim nod. “Then I can maybe reach Elizaveta and the boys before the military do.” 

“Good idea,” Jules assented. “Though honestly? I don’t think the higher ups care about what goes on in Baikonur city these days. Bigger problems to worry about.” 

“Maybe,” he considered it for a moment. “...still. I must worry.” 

“I’d worry, too,” she assured him. Jules thought to her sister for a moment. Her chest ached, her mind still rang with those screams. The image of Nikolina’s terrified expression as she was taken away was burned into her memory. 

_I’ll find you, pup. Just you wait._

Serik heaved a sigh. “We’re all in agreement, then. We don’t shoot. But where do we go?” 

“The city, first,” Jules stated. “Get Kuzma’s family. Then rendezvous… somewhere. Anyone got suggestions?” 

Kuzma nodded. “There is a small store not far. Two blocks south? I know the owner. Good man. He could help us.” 

“Two blocks south. Good place to start.” Jules agreed and checked her watch. “We’re running out of time here. What else we got?” 

Veronika cleared her throat. “If we’re meeting up, then we’re sticking together. Right?” 

“Strength in numbers,” Jules replied. “Not going to force the issue if you wanna go it alone, but… yeah. Follow me if you want.” 

Veronika scoffed. “As if you could get rid of me.” 

“Wouldn’t dare try.” 

Serik shook his head and, having nothing more to add to the discussion, turned to depart. Kuzma waited a little while before he followed after. Once the men were gone, Veronika looked to Jules again, studying her intently. 

“When did you decide this?” 

“Before you got here,” she replied. 

“It could get us all killed.” 

“You don’t have to follow me.” 

“And let you get yourself killed?” Veronika eyed her skeptically. “No.” 

Jules offered a knowing smile as she pushed off the crate and hopped to the floor. “That’s what I thought. Go get your gear. Hopefully it won’t come to it.” 

“Aaaand by saying that you have cursed us all.” 

Jules walked away with a shrug. “Then we’ll make a run for it. Civilian panic should give us enough cover to get the hell out.” 

“You always sound so sure.” 

She didn’t answer that, but she did smile to herself as she ducked beneath the hangar door. 


End file.
